Kate Westall
Modern automobiles are much more reliable than those made twenty or thirty years ago. In fact, cars are so reliable, some manufacturers offer a four-year or 60,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first. That said, the automobiles that last the longest are the ones whose owners take meticulous care of them. If you want your car to run 10 to 12 years or more, you will need to carefully monitor the engine regularly in order to avoid the hassle of expensive repairs or avoid being stranded in the outback until a tow truck can rescue you.
1. Oil
Checking your vehicle for oil is, of course, one of the most common requirements. In fact, you should check your vehicle regularly to ensure it has the proper oil levels, but you should also regularly check beneath the engine for any signs of leaks. Additionally, you should check the manifold for any signs of dripping oil, which will burn due to the heat. If you check your vehicle regularly for oil leakages, you will be able to catch a leak before it harms your engine. If you do not check your oil regularly, you might end up with a knocking engine as a result of not having enough oil.
2. Brakes
Checking your brake fluid every month will help ensure you are always able to come to a stop when you want. The reason you should check your fluid is that low levels can introduce air into the brake line. If this occurs, when you step on the pedal, the air will not be sufficient to create pressure to compress the brakes. Consequently, your vehicle will continue moving forward when you least expect.
3. Spark plugs
Checking the spark plugs regularly is as easy as removing them with a plug wrench and brushing them off with a stiff bristle brush. Doing so will ensure they are always clean enough to create a spark. Additionally, monitoring the spark plugs will allow you to see the first signs of oil burning in your engine.
4. Belts
Although belts are made to last up to five years, if you live in an arid region or one that gets a lot of hot sunshine, the belts can become prematurely brittle. If this happens, the tension on a spinning belt can be enough to snap the belt. Although people have spare tires, they rarely have spare belts. Moreover, replacing a belt is a time-consuming task that requires special tools. In order to save you the time spent at a mechanic’s garage, you should check the belts regularly and ensure there are no cracks.
5. Antifreeze
Of course, the antifreeze will keep your car from freezing in the winter, but the antifreeze is a coolant that also keeps your engine from overheating. Consequently, you should check the fluids once per month at the very least. Doing so will ensure your radiator is always full and capable of cooling your engine. However, you must remember to always check the radiator when the engine is cool as checking it after the engine has been running can cause pressure to be released and send hot coolant everywhere.
6. Air
The air filter is one of the most important components in your car and the easiest to check. All you have to do is lift the filter cap and remove the filter. As you inspect it, you should look for debris, dirt, or other grime that might be clogging it. If the filter is clogged, you could potentially have two problems.
The first problem is that not enough air will get through to the spark plugs. If this happens, your car could run rougher than it usually does. The second problem is that your mileage will suffer. For normal driving, if you are experiencing poor gas mileage, you might simply drive over to a nearby gas station. However, for long drives, you might end up spending more money on gas than your budget allows. Worse, if your fuel performance is off, you might find yourself out in the middle of a long, desolate highway with not enough fuel to get you to the next stop. If this happens, you will have to use your phone to search for “nearing mechanics” to get immediate assistance.
